It’s estimated that 12% of American households will be directly impacted by a SNAP funding lapse. In Montgomery County, 13.5% of households are on SNAP, compared to 9.5% and 18.4% of households in Butler and Clark counties, respectively.
On Wednesday, Democrats proposed amending a bill to authorize the state of Ohio to use it’s near-$4 billion “rainy day” or Budget Stabilization Fund to continue funding food stamps in the event of a federal lapse.
Sen. Kent Smith, D-Euclid, who proposed the amendment, said it would cost the state about $263 million a month to fund a stopgap. His proposal would have pressed the federal government to reimburse Ohio for the funds, though any federal reimbursement would be optional.
Republicans unanimously argued that it is not the state’s responsibility to make amends for the federal government’s dysfunction, and that using the state’s budget stabilization fund to pay for social programs is outside the fund’s intended purpose.
The amendment was voted down along party lines 23-to-9.
Note: This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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